Combination bassinet and carriage



Feb. .20, 1940. c, wYLlE 2,191,005

COMBINATION BASSINET AND CARRIAGE Filed March 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1In van for. lzarlesfllfylie.

fllorneys Feb. 20, 1940. c. A. WYLIE COMBINATION BASSINET AND CARRIAGE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 15, 1939 c/zdrzesafififif 33 filial-12y.

Patented Feb. 20, 1940 UNITED STATES- anrocs 7 PATENT oFFicE COMBINATIONBASSINET ANDIOARRIAGE CharlesJA. Wylie, San Bernardino, Calif.ApplicationMarch 15, 1939,- Serial No. 261,944.

13 Claims. (01. 280- 41) This invention has to do generally withimprovements in combination baby carriage and bassinet, particularly ofthe type in which the bassinet is detachably mounted on the carriage soas to be removable for separate use. The feature of having the bassinetdetachable from the carriage is of apparent advantage in that thebassinet mayserve as the carriage body, or independently for usein thehouse, automobile or other places where a separate bassinet isconvenient.

One of my major objects is to provide an improved means for detachablysecuring'the bassinet to the carriage, that is of particular conven- Hience in that the connection between the two may be made simply byresting the bassinet'on the carriage, and the attachment may be releasedby merely lifting the bassinet from the carriage. The specific form ofmechanism is subject to variation, although I preferably'employ a typeof attachment that is operable by the weight of the bassinetto engage.and hold the bassinet under its weight, and to disengage the bassinetwhen its weight is released by lifting.

5 Another object of the invention is to provide a carriage havingcollapsible characteristics and to utilize the collapsing movements ofthe carriage parts to secure and release the bassinet undertheconditions mentioned in the foregoing.

In this manner I am able to obtain both advantages of a collapsiblecarriage and detachable connection with the bassinet by the simplestpossible construction, for" the reason. that the capacity for relativemovement of the carriage parts enables these parts. to be used'alsoasthe bassinet attachment means without necessity for additionalmechanism that would otherwise complicate the structure and addlto itscost.

In its preferred form, the carriage comprises forward and rear pairs ofwheels interconnected by frame members so as to be collapsible togetherlongitudinally of the carriage. A spring interconnecting the framemembers tends tomove them to elevated positions and to bring theiwheels5 together as stated. By resting the bassinet on body as a single piece.

objects stated above, will'be understood to better advantage from thefollowing description of certain typical and illustrative forms of theinvention. Throughout the description reference is had to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the bassinet mounted on the carriage;

1 Figs. 2 and 3 are front and rear end elevations, respectively, of Fig.1;

Fig; 4 is a longitudinal sectional View of the bassinet; Y

Fig. 5 is a plan view ofthe bassinet; 1

Fig. 6 is 'a bottom view taken on line 66 of Fig.1, showing theengagement of the carriage frame: means within recesses in the bottom ofthebassinet;

Fig. 7 illustrates the carriage parts in collapsed positions;

Fig. 8 shows the carriage parts in their distended" positions; I a aFig. 9 is a fragmentary section on line 9--9 of Fig. 43

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary View taken on line Ill-40 of Fig. 5, showingthe'handle connection with the bassinet body; i 25- Fig. 11 isa sectionon line Il -4i of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 illustrates a variational means for springing the bassinet onthe carriage;

Fig; 13 illustrates a variational form of car- Fig. 14 is a fragmentaryview of a joint structure in Fig. 13; and

Fig. 15 is a view: showing an extensible form of handle. M

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5, the bassinet 35 generally indicated atl5, comprises a hollow bodyl6 preferably made of a suitable light weightmaterial that desirably may be adapted to formation of at least the sideand top walls of the Suitable body forming 40 materials may includelight weight metal, wood, or substances such as plastic wood, resinouscompounds, and the like, capable of being cast or molded to'the bodyshape. Particularly where resinous compounds are used, the latter maycarry pigment to give the body a desired-color, or, if preferred, thebody may be molded or cast of any of the known suitable transparentmaterials. The top of the bassinethas a pair of telescopic closures. I1and ill of transparent mate- 50. rial held Within frames I9,and 20, thelatter being confined within guideways 2!, see Fig. 9, so thattheclosuresmay be telescoped and both slid to the dashed line open position22, see Fig.

5, against the stop 23. Interior ventilation is had members.

through the perforated areas 24 of the sides of the body, screen frames25 being placed within the body opposite the perforations and releasablyand extending longitudinally along its opposite sides.

prises forward and rear pairs of wheels 33 and 3|, the axles 32 and 33being interconnected by a pair of U-shaped members 34 and 35 havingpivotal joints 33 intermediate their ends. A coil spring 31, normallyinterconnecting the memthe carriage parts will assume the. raisedpositions of Fig. '7, in which the pairs of wheels. 33 and 3|, and theupper portions of members'34 and 35, are brought together. Members 34and 35 have toggle characteristics'in that when spread apart and swungdown-tobring their end portions into engagement with the wheel. axles 32and:33, the carriage parts will assume and remain in the distendedpositions of Fig. 8. In this position, the carriage is in flat compactcondition rendering it conveniently portable and capable ofaccommodation within relativelyn'arrow spaces.

:When supported on thecarriage in the position of Fig. l, the bassinetbody is releasably held thereto by the upper U-shaped ends of members 34and 35 being received within longitudinally spaced recesses 38 and 39 inthe bottom of the body, these recessesbeing shown typically as formed byspacing the in-turned end portions 4!) and M of the body end walls belowthe bottom or floor 42. Any suitable means, such as coil springs 43placed within recesses 38 and 39 and normally engaging the ends'ofmembers 34 and 35, may be employed to spring the body on its supportingmembers, i. e., to cushion the body support on members and 35. As avariational method of springing, I may incorporate in the upwardlyextending portions of members 34 and vantage and convenience in that itpermits attachment of the bassinet body to the carriage simply byresting the bassinet on the carriageand also enables the bassinet to bereleased merely by lifting it from the carriage. Assuming the carriageto be in the collapsed, upstanding position of Fig. 7, the carriageparts are movable to their normal distended positions of Fig. l, and theupper ends of members 34 and 35 are thrust into recesses 38 and 39,simply by resting the body l5 on the upperv ends of the The tension ofspring 31 is such with relationto the weight of the body l6 that theweight will spread the members into the body recesses, within which theyare retained by the underlap of the 'in-turned portions 40 and 4! of thebody as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6. When the body is lifted from thecarriage, the relieved weight on members 34 and 35 enables spring 31' towithdraw them from recesses 38 and 39, and return the carriage to itscollapsed position.

The carriage generally indicated at 29, com

ends of the sections.

A handle generally indicated at 53 and comprising members EI and 52pivoted at 53 on the rear axle 33, has a suitable releasable attachmentto the rear wall of the body at 54. This attachment is shown typically,see Figs. 10 and. 11, to comprise a U-shaped arm 55 having loop ends 56receiving the handle members 1 5i and 52 with sufficient looseness topermit the arm to be rocked into and out of retainers 51 secured to therear wall of the bassinet body. Retainers 51 may be in the form ofcoil-shaped keepers shaped as illustrated to permit the arm 55 to beswung downwardly within the space 58 into retained engagement with thekeeper to bers 34 and 35 above their pivot points 36, tends to move themembers togetherso that the when the bassinet body is removed from thecarriage,

secure the handle to the bassinet. As will be apparent, the arm mayeasily be swung upwardly out of the keepers to disconnect the handle.With the carriage in its distended position of Fig. 8, the handle 53 maybe swung down to rest in compact arrangement on the carriage framemembers as illustrated.

"While the carriage in its distended condition of Fig. 8 affords acompact arrangement with scribed form, are made in sections 33a, 33b,and

64d, 64b,*'with the sections of the individual members pivotallyinterconnected at 35 and 33. Normally, members 33b and 342) are swungupward to positions corresponding to the upper portions of members 34and 35 above the pivots 36; and are locked to the lower sections and 64aby sleeves 6! surrounding the overlapping In Fig. 14, for example, thesleeve is shown in its dotted line position 61a in looking associationwith the overlapping ends of sections 63a and 63b of the frame member33. As in the first instance, the members 63 and 64- are interconnectedby a coil spring 68 normally positioned above the pivots 63corresponding to the pivotal connections at 33 in the first describedform.

When the carriage is to be collapsed after removal of the bassinet,sleeves 6'! are slid from the overlapping ends of the frame members 33and '64 and the upper sections of the latter are swung outwardly anddownwardly about the pivots 65 and 36 to the collapsed. positions ofFig. 13. The carriage handle may also be made in sections 10 and Hpivotally interconnected at 12 so that section H may be swung down intocollapsed position as illustrated.

Provision may be made for rendering the handle 50 adjustable todifferent heights or lengths. Thus, as illustrated in 15, the lowerportion of the handle that is connected to the carriage, may be made oftubular sections telescopically receiving upper sections l6 held toadjusted positions by set screws 11, or other suitable means. 1

It is to be understood that the drawings are to be regarded merely asillustrative of the invention in certain typical and preferred forms andthat various changes and modifications may be made without departurefrom the invention in its intended spirit and scope.

I claim: r

1. The combination comprising a wheeled carriage, a bassinet bodyadapted to be supported on the carriage, and an attachment between saidbodyend'carriageroperable tocreleasablythold ithe bodythereto, said,attachment comprisingaholding means. forming a laterally openingwrecess,and a: member movable along a downwardly facing surface of the body intoretained engagement within said recess by resting the body on thecarriage. l

2. The combination comprising awheeled'carriage, a bassinet body adaptedto be supported on the carriage, and an attachment betweenisaid body andcarriage operable to releasably hold the :body thereto, said attachmentcomprising a holding means, a member movable along a downwardly facingsurface of the body into retained engagement with said holding means byresting the body on the carriage unit, and a spring action to disengagesaid member from the holding means when said body is lifted from thecarriage.

3. The combination comprising a wheeled car,- riage, a bassinet bodyadapted to be supported on the carriage, and an attachment between said:body and carriage operable to releasably hold the body thereto, saidattachment comprising a pair of spaced holding means forming laterallyopening recesses, and a pair of members that are'relatively movablealong a downwardly facing surface of the body into retained engagementwith in said recesses by resting the body on the carriage.

4. The combination comprising a wheeled carriage, a bassinet bodyadapted to be supported on the carriage, and an attachment between saidbody and carriage operable to releasably hold the body thereto, saidattachment comprising a pair of spaced holding means, a pair of membersthat are relatively movable along a downwardly facing surface of thebody into retained engagement with said holding means by resting thebody on the carriage, and yielding means acting to move said membersrelatively together to disengage them from said holding means when thebody is lifted from the carriage.

5. The combination comprising a wheeled car riage, a bassinet bodyadapted to be supported on the carriage, said carriage comprising abassinet holding member movable into holding position by resting saidbody on the carriage, a

spring resisting movement of said member to holding position, and meanson said body for releasably receiving said member in its said holding,position, said spring acting to move said member out of said holdingposition by raising the body from the carriage.

6. The combination comprising a wheeled carriage, a bassinet bodyadapted to be supported on the carriage, said carriage comprising a pairof bassinet holding members movable relatively to each other by restingsaid body on the carriage. and means on said body forming laterallyopening recesses for releasably receiving said members in their holdingposition, said members being thrust into retained engagement within saidrecesses by said relative movement of the members resulting from restingthe body on the carriage.

'7. The combination comprising a wheeled carriage having frame membersmovable to shift the carriage wheels from normal to collapsed positions,a bassinet body adapted to be supported on the carriage, said framemembers being movable apart and along the bottom surface of the body byresting the body on the carriage, and spaced holding means carried bythe body and comprising a pair of laterally opening recesses, saidmembers being releasably engageable within said recesses by virtueof'said movement apart of the members. i

8. The combination comprising a wheeled carriage having frame membersmovable to shift the carriage Wheels from normal to collapsed positions,a bassinet body adapted to be sup ported on the carriage, and meansoperable by said movement of the frame members for re leasably attachingsaid body to thecarriage, said means comprising laterally openingrecesses formed in the bottom of thebody and into which said members aredisplaceable by movement lon gitudinally of said body.

9. The combination comprisinga carriage including forward and rear pairsof wheels, relatively movable frame members interconnecting the wheelsso that said pairs are movable together longitudinally of the carriageto collapsed positions, a bassinet body adapted to be detachablysupported on said members, the body when rested on said members actingto move them apart and also to move said pairs of wheels apart to theirnormal positions, and means comprising laterally opening recesses withinthe bottom of the body adapted to receive said members by virtue oftheir movement apart to hold the body to the carriage.

10. The combination comprising a-carriage including forward and rearpairs of wheels, relativelymovable frame members interconnecting thewheels so that said pairs are movable to gether longitudinally of thecarriage to collapsed positions, yielding means interconnecting saidmembers and tending to move said pairs of wheels to collapsed positions,a bassinet body adapted totbe detachably supported on said members, thebody when rested on said members actingto move them apart and also tomove said pairs of wheels apart to their normal positions, and means onthe body adapted to receive said members by virtue of their movementapart to hold the body to the carriage, said yielding means acting todisengage said members from the last mentioned means when the body islifted from the carriage.

11. The combination comprising a carriage including forward and rearpairs of wheels, frame members pivotally connected intermediate theirupper and lower ends and interconnecting the wheels so that said pairsaremovable together to collapsed positions and movable apart todistended positions, yielding means interconnecting said members andtending to move their upper ends together and to bring said pairs ofWheels to collapsed positions, said upper ends of the members beingmovable apart by resting said body on them, and means forming recessesin the bottom of said body adapted to receive said members when they areso moved apart to hold the body to the carriage, said yielding meansacting to withdraw said members from said recesses when the body islifted from the carriage.

12. The combination comprising:- a carriage including forward and rearpairs of wheels, frame members pivotally connected intermediate theirupper and lower ends and interconnecting the wheels so that said pairsare movable together to collapsed positions and movable apart todistended positions, yielding means interconnecting said membersandtending to move their upper ends together and to bring said pairs ofwheels to collapsed positions, said upper ends of the members beingmovable apart by resting said body on them, and means forming recessesin the bottom of said body adapted to receive said members when they areso moved apart to hold the body to the carriage, said members beingreleasable from said recesses by lifting the body from the carriage, andsaid yielding means acting to, withdraw said members from said recesseswhen the body is lifted from the carriage.

13. The combination comprising a carriage including forward and rearpairs of wheels, frame members pivotally connected intermediate theirupper and lower ends and interconnecting the wheels so that said pairsare movable together to collapsed positions and movable apart todistended" positions, yielding means interconnecting; saidmembers andtending to move their upper ends together and to bring said pairs ofwheels to collapsed positions, said upper ends of the members beingmovable apart by resting said body on them, means forming recesses inthe bottom of said body adapted to receive said. members when they areso moved apart to hold the body to the carriage, and means for springingthe body on said members.

CHARLES A. WYLIE.

